Do you speak, write and read a second language? if not, why?

Question

It might seem a stupid question or a stereotype but could anyone tell me why an american travelling in europe can only speak english and usually get upset if is not understood? IWhy don't you try to post a question at "answers Italy" and see how many reply you will get..? OK, you may not give a sh... about Italy but it is worth to try, right? Se faccio la stessa domanda in italiano chi di voi risponderebbe, forse solo gli italo americani?

Great! It seems that a lot of americans speak a second and third language. To the one who wrote that "it is unfair to expect that an american speaks etc etc..." i would like to say that no one expects that..in Italy we like to help foreigners..we do not like foreigners getting pissed off when we do not understand their language which is a bit different I guess! Anyway come to Italy and speak as you like, you are always welcome!

Answer 1

It seems that americans think that everybody, everywhere, should know english, but that they have no reason to learn another language. Since the question begins by asking whether I speak, read, and write a second language, you can see that yes, I am writing in english. I can speak, write, and read english

Answer 2

This is German writing (who immigrated to the US in 2004).

I speak/read/understand/write german, dutch, swedish and english quite well, while my french and italian is not too good anymore. Was better in the 70s, but when you don't use a language regularly, it is fading out.

And yes, I would like to add that we Europeans find American tourists (at least) ridiculous in their behaviour, and the fact that they actually expect us to understand their language is ...uhm... not nice (I want to stay polite here).

But the lack of any second language is not the worst about Americans, believe me! The worst is that they actually believe they have the right to invade other countries and kill other people, because their president told them so. (And he is talking to a god, so he must be right, huh?)

Just imagine Turkey would decide to build up a military base in ... let's say... Colorado? Or Minnesota? Arizona?
No, you would not want that?
Why is it ok to have US-military bases all over the world, and whenever the local authorities ask the US to leave, the US is threatening them with either violence or economical embargos and such?

Or imagine the european secret service people would track down the CIA criminals who have abducted europeans and flown them to secret dungeons and tortured them for months, some even for years, some were killed.
If we now did the same to the CIA-people, what would happen? If we brought them to Den Haag, where the rest of the world agreed to bring war criminals?
Bush had already declared he would invade the Netherlands and get their citizens out, because Americans are not like the rest of the world. Americans can do any crimes all over the world, and the world cannot go and request them for trials.

Unfortunately, I am not joking.

Answer 3

I speak Spanish and English and now I'm trying to Learn Japanese which has nothing in common with Spanish and English, i have a lot of friend that complaint because every time they travel they don't understand what the other person is trying to say . . . .

I get what mean .. .

Answer 4

I know bits and pieces of other languages and I can read/write some Japanese. I'd make it a point to learn more before visiting a non-English speaking country. Visiting another country and expecting them to speak your language is a bit rude.

Answer 5

Well, South Americans are coming here all the time wondering why WE don't speak Spanish. It's the same sorta thing. If I'm going to another country, I'm gonna learn what I need to say!!!!!

Answer 6

Yes and working on the third.

I don't think it's quite fair to expect an American traveling in "Europe" to speak every European language, though, and likely Italian would be low on their priority lists.

Ho studiato italiano all'università molti anni fa, non lo parlo adesso. (Non è la duo ni tre lingua ho parlato de.)

Answer 7

I'm American and I speak english. I'm taking spanish in school. I think that its good to know at least 2 languages so when you travel you dont look dumb.

Answer 8

No, but I am trying to learn French and German. In the US, not enough emphasis is placed on the global community. A second language is needed.

Answer 9

Yes, I could speak Cantonese, English, Mandarin and Taiwanese. Now i am learning Japanese. I am living in HK, my dad is a taiwanese that is why I could speak.

Answer 10

Saya bisa berbicara bahasa Indonesia dan sedikit bahasa Thai.